What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampden	Bennington
People
Population	7,896Lowest	15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S.	44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S.
	Bennington and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bennington and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S.	$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,300±$38kHighest 9% below U.S.	$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S.	$1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S.
	Hampden and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,513Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampden and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#6 of 133 in ME	#58 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 22	Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town	Hampden Academy	Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	14.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.